Hard blow for the iPhone? Apple is reportedly on the verge of abandoning the development of its “in-house” 5G modem

In gestation for several years, Apple’s 5G modem may never see the light of day.

The Cupertino company has never really hidden its desire to free itself from Qualcomm in terms of 5G modems. Since 2019, the Californian giant has cherished the hope of one day being able to have its own chips. While initial plans anticipated deployment from 2023, everything suggests that this sweet dream of emancipation will ultimately never become a reality.

Apple is falling behind on the design of its 5G chips

In 2021, there was almost no doubt that the iPhone 15 would be the first Apple smartphones to feature their own 5G chip. From what we knew, Apple planned to equip its new flagships with 5G modems manufactured by TSMC in 4 nm.

Two years later, when the modem barely gave any news, Qualcomm announced that it would renew its partnership with Apple until 2026. Yes, the company led by Tim Cook then quietly formalized the considerable delay that it took on the design of his home modem.

According to a recent report from Wall Street Journal, Apple would have faced various obstacles, and would even be several years behind the best chip developed by Qualcomm. Consequently, these difficulties encountered during the development of its 5G modem would have led it to review its ambitions, thus burying the idea of ​​launching its own chips next year.

But this long series could soon experience a new twist that none of us saw coming.

Apple and 5G modems: the end of the relentlessness?

In 2019, Apple paid no less than a billion dollars to get its hands on Intel’s modem activities. In addition to the colossal sums invested over the last four years, the company has mobilized thousands of engineers in order to produce a chip that matches those offered by the competition.

Well aware (and annoyed?) of having been stuck in trouble for far too long, the American company is finally preparing to reverse its decision to free itself from Qualcomm.

As reported to us by GSM Arenathe latest attempts to integrate the 5G modem into Apple’s next smartphones (and in particular the 4th generation iPhone SE) have once again ended in failure, leading to the definitive abandonment of the project.

If this information is obviously not to be taken at face value, Apple having not yet clarified the situation at the time of writing these lines, note however that it comes from trustworthy sources (the leaker Revegnus having previous reliable when it comes to Apple leaks). Sources from Apple’s Japanese supply chain further corroborate this information.

Whatever the case, there is now no doubt that such a decision, as costly as it may be, would put an end to entire years of hassle and relentlessness on the part of the Apple brand…

Source : GSM Arena